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Bigger BA Key: ASM 121 or Batman 232?

Started by bronze johnny,

ASM 121 or Batman 232  

510 members have voted

  1. 1. ASM 121 or Batman 232

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214 posts in this topic

bronze johnny

bronze johnny

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Posted

Hi Dan,

I'm not sure why I should leave out the fact that they are BA keys. They were key books when I was a kid collecting comics during the late 1970s (BA) and they have been keys ever since. While the history of these books began with Bronze, it didn't end with that Age.

By the way, where is Tony Starks? I'd like to get his perspective on this.

 

Respectfully,

John

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kidcolt

kidcolt

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Posted

IMO the question is which is the bigger key now. In key I would think the op means valueable and sought after. Asm 121 might have had more impact when it was released but it seems to me that batman 232 is a more significant in today's market. I am not questioning the importance of either but going forward the 1st app will likely be more important.

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webeloobie

webeloobie

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Posted

Just an interesting observation today, and this seemed like a good thread to post it.

 

I've been watching ASM 121 in a 9.6 on ebay for a month or two and had considering pulling the trigger on one. Just today three copies of 121 and three copies of 122 were sold from multiple sellers.

 

Is this the same buyer in each case, perhaps? That's almost 10K!

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oakman29

oakman29

Posted
Posted
Wouldnt ASM 129 trump them both when apples to apples are compared by their highest grades in CGC????

2013-03-29_13-24-32_876_zpsad29a044.jpg

Just because price is higher doesn't mean it's more key than the other.I guess you had to be reading ASM back when ASM 121 was going on.The death of Gwen Stacey is a huge book that altered the Marvel universe for decades.Although Ras is one of my favorite Bat villains,he only became uber popular with the advent of the first Christian Baile Batman movie.

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mintcollector

mintcollector

Posted
Posted
Wouldnt ASM 129 trump them both when apples to apples are compared by their highest grades in CGC????

2013-03-29_13-24-32_876_zpsad29a044.jpg

Just because price is higher doesn't mean it's more key than the other.I guess you had to be reading ASM back when ASM 121 was going on.The death of Gwen Stacey is a huge book that altered the Marvel universe for decades.Although Ras is one of my favorite Bat villains,he only became uber popular with the advent of the first Christian Baile Batman movie.

 

Neal Adams' popularity as an artist also had a lot to do with it. I know even I have to admit that Neal Adams is a great artist. I am in the process of purchasing this book in 9.6 right now (Bats 232); so I am a little partial. That being said, I consider DC books to be somewhat harder to find in high grade than that those produced by Marvel. I went 'nuts' looking for a nice looking HOS #92 in CGC 9.4. Of course none of this has anything to do with the original question; as to which is the 'bigger key issue.'

 

I will say that price is NOT a factor in this equation, nor should it be. There are a lot of great 'keys' that can be had for a low dollar amount. This doesn't change their status. A lot of books had very large print runs and were hoarded making price an issue related to supply and demand; not that of importance.

 

My main issue with this discussion is why is the 'death' of a character being compared to the first appearance of another; spanning two different series, made by different companies?

 

A better comparison would be 'first appearance vs. first appearance' or 'death vs. death.'

 

Just another viewpoint.

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

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Maccai3

Maccai3

Posted
Posted
Wouldnt ASM 129 trump them both when apples to apples are compared by their highest grades in CGC????

2013-03-29_13-24-32_876_zpsad29a044.jpg

Just because price is higher doesn't mean it's more key than the other.I guess you had to be reading ASM back when ASM 121 was going on.The death of Gwen Stacey is a huge book that altered the Marvel universe for decades.Although Ras is one of my favorite Bat villains,he only became uber popular with the advent of the first Christian Baile Batman movie.

 

Neal Adams' popularity as an artist also had a lot to do with it. I know even I have to admit that Neal Adams is a great artist. I am in the process of purchasing this book in 9.6 right now (Bats 232); so I am a little partial. That being said, I consider DC books to be somewhat harder to find in high grade than that those produced by Marvel. I went 'nuts' looking for a nice looking HOS #92 in CGC 9.4. Of course none of this has anything to do with the original question; as to which is the 'bigger key issue.'

 

I will say that price is NOT a factor in this equation, nor should it be. There are a lot of great 'keys' that can be had for a low dollar amount. This doesn't change their status. A lot of books had very large print runs and were hoarded making price an issue related to supply and demand; not that of importance.

 

My main issue with this discussion is why is the 'death' of a character being compared to the first appearance of another; spanning two different series, made by different companies?

 

A better comparison would be 'first appearance vs. first appearance' or 'death vs. death.'

 

Just another viewpoint.

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

Amazing Fantasy 15 vs Dectective Comics 27

GO!

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bronze johnny

bronze johnny

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Hi Mint,

 

I'm puzzled by your issue with the comparison since, as you conveyed in your earlier post, there was none?

 

Let me suggest that you read some of the earlier posts in this thread. This comparison is more than one between "death" and "1st appearance" issues.

 

Nevertheless, your point about the role Neal Adams has in this "equation" is an excellent one and a reason why Bats 232 is such a great book.

 

Respectfully,

 

John

 

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oakman29

oakman29

Posted
Posted
Wouldnt ASM 129 trump them both when apples to apples are compared by their highest grades in CGC????

2013-03-29_13-24-32_876_zpsad29a044.jpg

Just because price is higher doesn't mean it's more key than the other.I guess you had to be reading ASM back when ASM 121 was going on.The death of Gwen Stacey is a huge book that altered the Marvel universe for decades.Although Ras is one of my favorite Bat villains,he only became uber popular with the advent of the first Christian Baile Batman movie.

 

Neal Adams' popularity as an artist also had a lot to do with it. I know even I have to admit that Neal Adams is a great artist. I am in the process of purchasing this book in 9.6 right now (Bats 232); so I am a little partial. That being said, I consider DC books to be somewhat harder to find in high grade than that those produced by Marvel. I went 'nuts' looking for a nice looking HOS #92 in CGC 9.4. Of course none of this has anything to do with the original question; as to which is the 'bigger key issue.'

 

I will say that price is NOT a factor in this equation, nor should it be. There are a lot of great 'keys' that can be had for a low dollar amount. This doesn't change their status. A lot of books had very large print runs and were hoarded making price an issue related to supply and demand; not that of importance.

 

My main issue with this discussion is why is the 'death' of a character being compared to the first appearance of another; spanning two different series, made by different companies?

 

A better comparison would be 'first appearance vs. first appearance' or 'death vs. death.'

 

Just another viewpoint.

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

Amazing Fantasy 15 vs Dectective Comics 27

GO!

Tec 27 will always be my holy grail.It's the one book I want more than any other,yet I probably will never be able to afford one.

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zosocane

zosocane

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Posted

I don't think there is a comparison to make here. The only surprise for me is that the 70% vote in favor of ASM 121 isn't more like 85%.

 

ASM 121 is the watershed BA book for many reasons, both historical and substantive: (i) generally recognized as the start of the BA; (ii) for the first time in a very long time a major character is killed; (iii) terrific shock-inducing story which was an utter surprise in the pre-modern fandom era where fanzine or web-posted rumors typically prove to be spoilers. Kids in the 1973 were literally going to the local drug store or 7-Eleven (no LCS back then) picking up 121 having absolutely no idea what they were about to read except the hint on the cover that someone was going to be picked off. Nowadays killing characters is par for the course. As a young collector, I purchased my roughly 5.0 first copy around 1979 for $11. I still have the price tag on it.

 

RAG is a major Bats villain, but take away the recent Batman movies and the importance of Bats 232 vis-a-vis ASM 121 is not even in consideration.

 

Prepare to see an increased demand for ASM 121 because the current Spidey movie franchise will no doubt be pushing Gwen off the Brooklyn Bridge -- probably in the third installment.

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mintcollector

mintcollector

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Hi Mint,

 

I'm puzzled by your issue with the comparison since, as you conveyed in your earlier post, there was none?

 

Let me suggest that you read some of the earlier posts in this thread. This comparison is more than one between "death" and "1st appearance" issues.

 

Nevertheless, your point about the role Neal Adams has in this "equation" is an excellent one and a reason why Bats 232 is such a great book.

 

Respectfully,

 

John

 

Hello John,

 

I bumped my original statement. I am on an iPad mini, but unless I missed something (and this very well could be due to the device I am using); I stated that they are not even in the same caliber. When did I state there was 'none?'

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

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bronze johnny

bronze johnny

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Hi Mint,

Perhaps it's my interpretation, but if they are not even in the "same caliber" then how or why can we compare them?

 

As of now the poll supports ASM 121 as the bigger BA key.

 

Respectfully,

John

 

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mintcollector

mintcollector

Posted
Posted
Hi Mint,

Perhaps it's my interpretation, but if they are not even in the "same caliber" then how or why can we compare them?

 

As of now the poll supports ASM 121 as the bigger BA key.

 

Respectfully,

John

 

 

To answer your question; perhaps that is why my final statement was this:

 

"My main issue with this discussion is why is the 'death' of a character being compared to the first appearance of another; spanning two different series, made by different companies?

 

A better comparison would be 'first appearance vs. first appearance' or 'death vs. death.'

 

Just another viewpoint."

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

 

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